This invention concerns the enhancement of the efficacy of fungicidal triazolopyrimidines by addition of certain adjuvants, preparations through which this effect can be exploited, as well as the use of combinations of fungicidal triazolopyrimidines and these adjuvants in the control of phytopathogenic fungi.
As a rule, inert carrier ingredients must be used to bring crop protection agents, for example, fungicidal compounds, into a form that the user can apply them either as such, or after dilution with water. The choice of formulation type and inert ingredients for that formulation type such as carrier ingredients often determines to a significant extent whether the active ingredient can display its full efficacy on application.
The efficacy of the active components can often be improved by addition of other (active) ingredients. The observed efficacy of the combination of ingredients can sometimes be significantly higher than that would be expected from the amounts of the individual ingredients used, thus indicating synergism from the components of the combination.
The usual components of formulations such as carriers and inert ingredients (e.g. organic solvents, suspension agents, emulsifiers, wetting agents, solubilizing agents) which do not themselves possess pesticidal activity, however, do not usually lead to an unexpected increase in efficacy.
International Patent Application WO 95/01722 discloses pesticidal formulations containing non-ionic surface-active agents which can be selected, inter alia, from liquid polyalkoxylated aliphatic alcohols. However, the addition of these agents is directed to improving the storage stability of the formulations, and there is no report of enhancing the activity of fungicides used in the formulations.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,851,421 discloses the use of polyalkylene-type nonionic surface active agents derived from the alkoxylation of fatty alcohols with alkyleneoxides, polyoxyalkylene mono- or dialkylphenylether or polyoxyalkylene sorbitan fatty acid esters.
EP 0 071 792-A, EP 0 550 113-A, WO 98/46607 and WO 98/46608 disclose fungicidal triazolopyrimidine compounds. Although these compounds are effective fungicides when applied to plants in conventional formulations, it is economically and environmentally desirable to provide a means to lower the dose required for effective disease control.